Potash from leitcite



PATEN A. RUDY, U NEWARK, JERSEY, ASSIGNOB. TO METALLURGICAL COMPANY or nrvtnnrca, or NEW YORK. N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

RECOVEBING POTASH LEUCITE.

nsaassi.

No Drawing.

towhich it appertains to make and use the,

same.

This invention relates to a process of recovering potash from leucite, and deals more particularly i vith a method of causing an internal chemical change in the leucite 'Which is found. to facilitate theextraction 1100 G. and changes into a glass-like stringy mass. It is finely ground and digested under pressure with caustic soda, and the sodav replaces the potash in the silicate.

The advantages of this method cannot better be shown than by referring to the results of certain comparative operations recently carried out.

Len ci to Leucite not sintered.

sintered.

Weight taken for experiment 50 pounds 50 pounds Caustic soda in solution Length of digestion 2 hours 8% hour PM cent. of dissolved potashnn 50 From this comparison it is apparent that preliminary fusing increases the potash dlssolved out of the leuc1te by about eighty percent, and that the duration of the operation is diminished by -fifty per cenia.,at a materially lower pressure. a

In carrying out the operation. I usually,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 18, 1915.

Patented Dec. 23, 1919.

Serial No. 28,89

addthe equivalent amount of soda to the potash in the rock, but in some cases I have added an excess of soda amounting to as much as 10 to 12% of the Weight of the rock.

The amount of the soda or of other sopotassium salts, while the fusedsilicate becomes impoverished in potash and enriched in soda. The present process is accordingly to be distinguished from such processcs as involve decomposition of the entire mass of the leucitewith resulting conversion of the silicate content thereof into a soluble alkali silicate.

lVhat I claim is:

1. The method of recoverin potash from leuoite, which comprises-first fusing the leucite and then replacing the potassium in the fused product by sodium by heating and digesting the fused product under pressure with a solution of sodium salts, the amount thereof being such that sodium will replace potassium in the fused leucite with resulting impoverishment of the lcucite in potash and enrichment thereof in soda, and with corresponding impoverishment of the solution in soda and enrichment thereof in potash, substantially as described.

2. The method of recovering potash from leucite, which comprises first fusing the leucite, then grinding the fused. product to ,a fine powder, and replacing the potassium in the fused product by sodium by digesting it under pressure with a solution of sodium hydroxid, the amount of the sodium hydroxid not exceeding about ten to twelve per cent. of the Weight of the leucite, substantially as described.

amount chemically equivalent to the p0tassium in the fused product, and not materially in excess of said chemical equlvalent in presence of Water, thereby obtaining the potash salts in solution; substantially as do scribed.

under pressure With a solution of a basic in presence of two 4, The method of recovering potash from "the potash in solution, substantially as Ll0 leucite, which. comprises first fusing the len-, scribed.

10 cite, and then digesting the fused product In testimony whereof I afiix my signature vitnesses. sodium compound, in amountchemically FRANZ A. RUDY. equivalent to the potassium in 'the fused Witnesses: product, and not materially in excess of H. M. BURKEY, said chemical equivalent, thereby obtaining JEROME S. KA'rz. 

